EV
Banned deucer.
Hello all!
As you might have guessed by the title, Other Metagames is at a crossroads. We've grown a ton in the last year or so, and with that comes both good and bad consequences.
On the one hand, we finally got OM C&C up and running, our daily tours are going strong and have a new prize associated with them, and we're launching a new semi-official tour which also has a cool prize. But on the other, we've fallen into some bad habits. Our thread quality needs improvement, we produce way too many metagames, and we have little involvement with other sections of the site.
So where do we go from here?
That's where you all come in. Snaquaza organized and hosted a survey that asked for feedback. It was important for myself and The Immortal to hear what you guys had to say, and we're still working on ways to improve. However, we want there to be more discussion, so we're opening this line of communication. We're also introducing a few changes immediately and this is as good a place as any to talk about them.
To start the discussion, we want to shift the focus of Other Metagames from creation to cultivation.
Probably the most common piece of feedback we read was the over abundance of OMs, which quickly die out and distract players from other (better) metagames, some of which have ladders. We realized that there's too much focus on making a new metagame instead of trying to improve what we have already.
Besides the new submission cap, here are three other ways we're going to shift from creation to cultivation:
Before I wrap this up, there's one last major change we need to put out there, and that's a cultural shift. Our community has a unique culture (every community does.) What does our culture say about us? I've always been proud to be a part of Other Metagames, and I hope you are too, but not everyone on the outside sees the amazing work and creativity that goes on here. Is there anyone to blame for that? Individually, no! However, as a group we certainly can do more to improve our community, and as a result, our culture.
For the rest of this thread, we're going to talk about the changes I've outlined or anything else you want to talk about related to improving Other Metagames. We want an honest discussion, so please no memes/jokes that will just derail the thread. We also want to hear any criticism you have, but make sure it's constructive. We're not going to moderate this thread unless someone breaks these guidelines. That being said, let's all take a seat at the table and work on this together. If you're uncomfortable posting in the open, you can always PM me and The Immortal personally, at any time.
Thanks!
-Eevee & TI
If you finished this and you're wondering, 'Eevee, I'm lost,' here are some people I'd like you to meet:
As you might have guessed by the title, Other Metagames is at a crossroads. We've grown a ton in the last year or so, and with that comes both good and bad consequences.
On the one hand, we finally got OM C&C up and running, our daily tours are going strong and have a new prize associated with them, and we're launching a new semi-official tour which also has a cool prize. But on the other, we've fallen into some bad habits. Our thread quality needs improvement, we produce way too many metagames, and we have little involvement with other sections of the site.
So where do we go from here?
That's where you all come in. Snaquaza organized and hosted a survey that asked for feedback. It was important for myself and The Immortal to hear what you guys had to say, and we're still working on ways to improve. However, we want there to be more discussion, so we're opening this line of communication. We're also introducing a few changes immediately and this is as good a place as any to talk about them.
To start the discussion, we want to shift the focus of Other Metagames from creation to cultivation.
Probably the most common piece of feedback we read was the over abundance of OMs, which quickly die out and distract players from other (better) metagames, some of which have ladders. We realized that there's too much focus on making a new metagame instead of trying to improve what we have already.
- Starting now, there is a one submission per user, per month rule in effect. Regardless if the metagame is approved or rejected, you will be on "cool down" for a month before you can submit again. This should encourage you to put your best ideas forward, and to really think them through before submitting.
Besides the new submission cap, here are three other ways we're going to shift from creation to cultivation:
- Produce more resources for the metagames we have now, particularly the ladders. This includes viability rankings, threatlists, sample teams, teambuilding projects, and anything else that new and current players can pick up to understand our metagames better. We also want to streamline how these resources are presented. (The new Anything Goes resource thread by Zangooser is a fantastic example to follow.)
- Focus on our two semi-official tournaments: the OM Premier League and OM Grand Slam. OMGS is untested, so the territory is brand new and we'll be monitoring what works and how to change it for next time. OMPL has had 3 runs. When #4 rolls around, expect a bigger turnout and more coverage than before.
- Besides the semi-official formats, we also want to see smaller tours not just in our forum, but also over in Tournaments, which draw in much bigger crowds. You might just get a few new followers afterward!
- Strengthen our C&C presence and bridge the gap between analyses and our forum. C&C needs a dedicated moderator team that can help me out. But not only that, it needs dedicated writers and quality control members. And we also need to utilize the work we do by incorporating them into our resources. You should be a part of that!
Before I wrap this up, there's one last major change we need to put out there, and that's a cultural shift. Our community has a unique culture (every community does.) What does our culture say about us? I've always been proud to be a part of Other Metagames, and I hope you are too, but not everyone on the outside sees the amazing work and creativity that goes on here. Is there anyone to blame for that? Individually, no! However, as a group we certainly can do more to improve our community, and as a result, our culture.
- It's up to us to present ourselves the best way possible. If we want the rest of Smogon not to ridicule or mock us ("OMs are a joke!") then it's our responsibility to control our image. In other words, we need to take ownership of our behavior and appearance as a community.
- This means reducing joke posts, one-liners, and personal attacks. From now on, hold each other accountable. If you see something, say something!
- Consider not just what your behavior says about you to fellow players in Other Metagames, but what it says to new players. Is the best way to welcome them ridiculing their ideas or calling them out for a "stupid question?" And if they're posting in the wrong place (like so many do who don't know about Submissions), introduce them to the forum!
For the rest of this thread, we're going to talk about the changes I've outlined or anything else you want to talk about related to improving Other Metagames. We want an honest discussion, so please no memes/jokes that will just derail the thread. We also want to hear any criticism you have, but make sure it's constructive. We're not going to moderate this thread unless someone breaks these guidelines. That being said, let's all take a seat at the table and work on this together. If you're uncomfortable posting in the open, you can always PM me and The Immortal personally, at any time.
Thanks!
-Eevee & TI
~*~
If you finished this and you're wondering, 'Eevee, I'm lost,' here are some people I'd like you to meet:
- I want to learn more about the submissions process: imas234 Uselesscrab nv
- I want to learn more about getting my idea coded and hosted: Pikachuun AWailOfATail
- I want to learn more about OM C&C: unfixable Kl4ng Uselesscrab
- I want to learn more about Showdown room tours: imas234 Ransei
- I want to learn more about OMPL/OMGS: Eevee General The Immortal